


Subjectivity

by farad



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: 3K Round-up Challenge, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 10:58:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6981550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/farad/pseuds/farad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the fic promptly prompt, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything" (Twain), thank you, Randi!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Subjectivity

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed, thrown together very quickly

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” Nathan sat back in his chair, picking up his beer and staring defiantly towards Ezra. “When you lie, you got two stories in your head and over time, you forget which one is real and which one is the lie.” 

Ezra arched on eyebrow, staring across the table at the healer. “Which means that you come to believe the lie – which makes it truth, does it not? At least in your own mind?” 

Nathan frowned, partly annoyed, but Vin could tell that he was thinking about the idea, in much the same way that Vin was himself. 

Being wiser than the rest of them, Josiah came up with the thought that Vin was struggling to find. “Which is why it's hard to trust what people think is true, especially about the past. Even if they don't intend to lie, they often forget the parts they don't want to remember, and the truth that you recall is different from that of others who were there.” 

Ezra grinned, wide enough that his gold tooth caught the light from the lamps in the saloon. “So what you are saying – as was I – is that truth is entirely subjective. And we all perceive the 'truth' of any situation differently.” 

It wasn't quite the way that Vin would have put it, but it was hard to argue. He picked up his beer and drank a little down; no use in letting it get too warm, though it did need to last a while. While he did, Nathan stepped up – as Vin had suspected he would. “There are absolute truths, and you both know it. Ain't that what the Ten Commandments are all about?” 

Vin knew that this was aimed more at Josiah than Ezra, as Ezra's relationship with the Good Book wasn't a close one, and he turned to look at the older man. 

For his part, Josiah frowned, thinking about the question, and after time, he said, “There are moral conditions that all societies define as good for being part of the society and bad for hurting the overall cohesion of the society.” 

As Vin considered the words and what he thought Josiah meant, Ezra spoke up. “And moral conditions are not truths, per se.” 

This time, Nathan did turn his tongue on Ezra. “Right and wrong are truths, Ezra. You can try to dance around 'em all you want to, so you can do whatever it is you want to do without feeling guilty, but that don't make it right. You sounding like a lawyer now – both of you,” he said, glaring back at Josiah, “and we all know how dishonest the law can be.” 

“That, sir,” Ezra said, holding out his glass in a toast, “is truth, and it may just be absolute, at least in our eyes.” 

Nathan snorted and shook his head, but before he could say anything more, JD came barreling in the door, calling Nathan's name. 

“Daryl Yonger fell off his roof – his boys got him into town on the wagon and they're waiting. Don't think he can get up the stairs to your place – think it's a broke leg!” JD was rattling on so fast that Vin had a hard time keeping up. But Nathan was used to it. 

“Come on, then,” he said, grabbing JD's arm, “let's go tend to him.” 

“Need more of us?” Josiah asked, starting to rise, but Nathan waved him away. 

“Don't reckon I need help when it comes to the truth,” he said, a little sharp. But he added, “If I do, I'll send JD to fetch you.” 

Angry, maybe, but not stupid. 

Ezra shook his head, watching the two of them depart. “He does, indeed, have a very black and white view of the world – no pun intended, of course.” He turned back and lifted his glass. 

“No pun,” Josiah said quietly, “but I think that is a big part of why he sees things the way he does. And it's a good reason.” 

Ezra had the good sense not to argue that point. Instead, he gathered up the spread of cards in front of him. “I believe, gentlemen, that I see a table of newcomers who might welcome a diversion for a while. If you will excuse me?” 

He didn't wait for an answer, pocketing his deck of cards and rising from his chair, catching up his whiskey glass as he moved away. 

Vin sipped from his beer again, thinking on what had been said. It was a surprise when, after a time, Josiah asked, “Which side do you come down on?”

Vin turned to look at him, weighing the answer. “Don't know that I come down on either side. I believe Nathan's right, that there are things you don't do, ever. But I also reckon that we all see things in different ways, and what might be one thing to one man ain't the same thing to another. Hell, we spend almost all our time arguing about it, don't we?” He grinned, hoping Josiah took his meaning. 

Not that he should have worried; Josiah usually did and this time was no different. He grinned, one of those big horsey grins of his that Vin loved. “So what do you think truth is? You don't seem to have trouble with the grey areas of the world.” 

Vin shrugged. “Reckon I'm like everybody else; I do what I have to do, when I have to do it. Don't like to lie if I can avoid it, but if I have to, I have to.” 

Josiah nodded and smiled a little as he said, “And by avoiding it, you mean keeping silent.” 

Vin shrugged. “Works best, sometimes.” 

Josiah did grin this time as he said, “So the best phrase for you is, if you don't say anything, you don't have to remember what you said, whether it's the truth or not.” 

Vin laughed at the idea, then turned at the familiar sound of boot heels on the wooden floor. 

“What's funny?” Chris said, stopping beside Vin. “I could use a good laugh.” 

Josiah looked at Chris and shook his head. “We were just talking about silence being golden.” 

Vin looked at the older man and grinned. 

“Ain't that the damned truth,” Chris said. 

As he continued on to the bar, Vin lifted his mug toward Josiah. “Truth.” 

Josiah lifted his back. “And belief.”


End file.
